There is a very real sense that we
cannot experience peace having not, first, ventured into our darkness. This is
not darkness itself, but our darkness—those experiences where forlorn are, or were, we.
These are circumstances of darkness.

How else are we to obtain a heart
of intrinsic compassion?

How else is God to convert us from
ignorance to curiosity?

How else are these things to occur
unless we become broken in some way?

Rising up above our fear is the
necessity of victory, especially where we have no choice because we are being
swallowed by it. We must keep fighting.

We cannot see the purpose in the
present pain, or even if we can it doesn’t help, but faith will lead us home.
Faith will contend with fear. It is the only answer.

And faith is patience, courage, a
tenacious spirit. We don’t think we have these until we find we do. Only in the
trial do we find them. Only in the depths of depression do we find the
resources to go on. It feels like we are hardly surviving at all. But the truth
is we are. Survival has become our prime objective. It may feel like we have only
a shell of a life. That is enough to endure the darkness time.

And as we look back, having
traversed through the chasm of the former life’s annihilation, as we come to a
new vision for life, we somehow appreciate the dark night we have endured. We
know we are stronger. We know we are wiser. We know we are more compassionate.
God has gifted us these things.

***

Darkness is the pre-requisite to
light. Many a dark night of the soul precedes a richer love of God. Adversity
makes us better, more reachable people. Don’t despise the darkness time. God is
making something good of it. The new light is coming.